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The purported removal of His Excellency, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe (CFR) the Chief of Staff to the President as leader of Edo North Senatorial District is not only a Fraud but a grand design to extinguish Edo Mass Movement (EMM) which was a major political machine in the coalition that formed the people’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State and of course Chief Oghiadomhe is a product of Edo Mass Movement (EMM).

The United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) led by Gen. (Dr) Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia won in virtually all the Local Governments in Edo State. Prior to the formation of the people’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, UNCP metamorphosed into Edo Mass Movement (EMM) and entered into a merger agreement with Chief Tony Anenih’s Edo People’s Congress, which metamorphosed from NCPN, a political party that could not win in any ward in Edo State, to form the people’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State.

Edo Mass Movement (EMM) as a senior partner in the merger, produced the first ever state Chairman of the people’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, in the person of Prince Solomon Aguele and of Course the Junior Partner, Edo People’s Congress (EPC) produced the first ever State Secretary, Deacon Bayo Ogbomo.

This arrangement made the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) a winning machine, until when Chief Tony Anenih decided to singlehandedly lead the party with a diabolic ploy to de-register members of Edo Mass Movement (EMM), which forms the majority members of the people’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State. This led to the exodus of Edo PDP members to the then newly formed Action Congress (AC) which was led by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

The desire to maintain soloist leadership of the Party in Edo State informed the enlistment of “strangers” professional carpet-crossers and they were imposed on the aborigines, as members of the state working committee of the Party in Edo State, which literally makes them leaders over and above those who founded the party. This further infuriated founding members to the extent of leaving PDP to join the Action Congress of Nigeria to wrest power from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State.

All attempts by the founding members and key stakeholders in the Party to make Chief Anenih to see and appreciate the reason why the party electoral fortune is diminishing, he has refused to change his style of playing politics, which is politics of exclusion. Some couple of months ago, it was Gen S.O. Ogbemudia with a threat of suspension. Today it is the turn of Chief Mike Oghiadomhe. Ironically both leaders are products of Edo Mass Movement (EMM) lineage within the coalition, called Edo PDP.

This abstract madness and impunity must stop as this is a pointer to the fact that this latest development is a subtle re-enactment of the actions of members of Edo People’s Congress (EPC) lineage within Edo PDP, to stop Dr. Goodluck Jonathan from assuming the role of Acting President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

It is on record that two senators of Edo People’s Congress arm of Edo PDP voted against the empowerment of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan to act as president. It is most ironic to hear the same group calling on Mr. President to consider removing Chief Mike Oghiadomhe as Chief of Staff, a man whose group supported overwhelmingly the President when the road leading to his empowerment was very rough.

Above all, it must be noted that Mr. President magnanimously gave the office of the Chief of Staff to Edo State and not Edo North Senatorial District and of course whatever happens in one senatorial district should not represent or affect the interest of the entire state. We are impressed by Chief Oghiadomhe’s commitment to duty and his undiluted loyalty to his Boss and to the Party.

The Strangers, who are sponsors of the purported removal of Chief Mike Oghiadomhe are acting the script of their master with a view to facilitating the emergence of the so-called New PDP in Edo State. This is totally unacceptable as our loyalty to President Jonathan and Dr. Bamagar Tukur cannot be compromised. As Chairman of PDP BOT Chief Tony Anenih has our loyalty and respect but he should caution those strangers to learn and honor the old order; which means they should allow the Party to stand on a tripod.

Edo Mass Movement (EMM) would resist any attempts by strangers to further weaken or even kill the Party in Edo State.

The Flimsy excuse for the purported removal of Chief Mike Oghiadomhe as the Leader of Edo North senatorial District is that he failed to influence political appointments for Edo indigenes particularly Edo North Senatorial District indigenes.

So, where did the Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe err in all of these? Even his group; Edo Mass Movement (EMM) has been sidelined in the Federal Board appointments so far announced.

The time for the National leadership of the PDP to act is now. Major stakeholders, particularly Edo Mass Movement and the Edo Awareness Group has always inundated the National Secretariat of the Party of the true position of the Party in Edo State. The Latest negative development has thrown to the fore the need for National leadership to sincerely see to the end of the crisis in Edo PDP with a view to setting the Party on the path of greatness again in Edo State.


Signed on behalf of Elders, Leaders and Stakeholders
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